Cold weather face mask



Jam 7, 1958 H. WILKINS ETAL com) WEATHER FACE MASK Filed March-14, 1956 INVENTORS Hubert ATaim.@wk

ATTORNEY is essential.

United States Patent 2,818,857 COLD WEATHER FACE MASK Hubert Wilkins, Montrose, Pa, and Abraham L. Lastnik, Newton, Mass, assignors to the United States of Americans represented by the Secretary of the Army Application March 14, 1956, Serial No. 571,580 11 Claims. (Cl. 128-141) (Granted under Title 35, U. S. Code (1952), sec. 266) The invention described herein, if patented, may be manufactured and used by or for the Government for governmental purposes, without the payment to us of any royalty thereon.

This invention relates to cold weather face masks.

Heretofore, there has been no adequate face protection available for use in extremely cold climates.

An object of the invention is to provide a new and improved cold weather face mask designed .to protect the wearer against the effects of Wind, snow and sleet at ,low temperatures, and particularly at sub-zero temperatures.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved cold weather face mask which is su-fiicient-ly flexible at low temperatures to conform closely to a human face and to be foldable so that it may be carried in a pocket when not in use.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved cold weather face mask which is free from the formation of frost on its inside surface and is made of a non wettable material.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of specific embodiments thereof, when considered in conjunction with the appended drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation view of a cold Weather face mask embodying the invention, shown in operative position;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation view of the face mask illustrated in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken along lines 33 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectiontaken along lines 4-4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged transverse section of a sheet of insulating material utilized in the construction of cold weatherface masks embodying the invention, and

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of another mask embodying the invention, in which the portion protecting the eyes is omitted.

In order to provide adequate protection for the human face in extremely cold climates, such asv the Arctic regions, a mask possessing outstanding insulating ability Furthermore, it is highly desirable for the mask to be sufliclently flexible to conform closely against the face of a person wearing it. The mask should lack excessive bulkiness, and yet be thick enough to provide adequate insulation. Flexibility and lack of bulkiness are also desirable to allow the mask to be folded compactly and carried in a pocket when not in use.

Another desirable attribute of cold weather face masks, is freedom from the formation of frost on the inside surf-aces thereof. It is important to prevent the condensation "and possible freezing of moisture in interior pores and on the inside surfaces of the masks. Such diflicult-ies may be avoided, inaccordance with the present invention, by employing a flexible, moisture impervious, non-wettable. elastomeric insulating material in the fabrication of the masks.

2,818,857 Patented Jan. 7, 1958 quirements of masks embodying the invention, is a unicellular elastomeri-c plastic or synthetic rubber containing a multiplicity of minute, non-interconnecting cells distributed uniformly throughout its interior. Among the most suitable materials are expanded GRS arctic rubber, an expanded neoprene sold under the tradename Cell-Tite, and an expanded blend of polyvinyl chloride and butadiene acrylonitrile sold under the tradename Ensolite. These unicellular elastomeric materials may be manufactured by incorporating a blowing agent into the normally solid materials, which agent expands the "materials by generation of a gas, usually nitrogen, in a multiplicity of minute, closed cells.

The insulating material is produced in the form of relatively thick sheets, from which sections are cut to fabricate the masks. Preferably, both sides of the unicellular sheets are covered with a continuous, smooth thin skin of unexpanded elastomeric material. An enlarged section of such composite insulating material is illustrated in Fig. 5, wherein a sheet 10 of expanded, unicellular elastomeric material is provided on opposite sides thereof with a pair of thin skins 11 and 12 of unexpanded elastomeric material. In less preferred embodiments of the invention, either one or both of these thin :skins may be omitted. However, the presence of these skins, especially the skin on the inner surface of the mask, greatly contributes to freedom from the formation of frost inside the mask.

In the fabrication of masks embodying the invention, sheets of such insulating material are cut and tailored or molded to conform to the contours of a human face. As is best shown in Fig. l in relation to a wearer, a facial portion 16 fits over the bridge of the nose, under the lower eyelids, upwards covering the temples and the sinuses, and backwards as far as the ears of the wearer. As shown .in .Figs. '2 and 3., the facial portion 16 is provided with a mouth opening 18 extending horizontally a distance approximately equal to the length of the wearers mouth and extending vertically from just below the nose down to the lower The mouth opening 18 is normally about one inch wide and three inches long, but it may be trimmed as required to register with the mouth of an individual wearing the mask. The lower edge of the mouth opening 18 should fit tightly underthe lower lip of the wearer to prevent moisture from the nose and mouth from condensing on the chin.

The insulating facial portion 16 is molded or tailored to fit snugly against the wearers chin and the facial area beneath the chin. A bib portion 20 composed of the same insulating material is secured to the lower end of the facial portion 16 along a continuous seam 22. The bib portion 20 is designed to spread over the frontal neck area of the wearer, anduto seal this area against the entrance of cold air. Ordinarily, the .lower end of the bib portion 20 will lie beneath a parka, jacket or other environmental clothing (not shown). Under some circumstances, it may be considered desirable to eliminate the bib portion 2.0. Hence, it is contemplated that the bib portion .20 may be permanently secured to the rest of the mask, or it may be removably attached thereto, or bib portion .20 may be eliminated entirely.

In order to provide additional insulation in cold-sensitive areas, an extra pad 24 of the unicellular insulating materialmay be secured to the chin and the cheek areas of the facial portion 16, and another pad 26 of'such material may be secured across the nose area. The pads 24 and 2,6 may be secured to the facial portion 16 in any suitable manner, such as by cement or by stitching or by heat fusion of the elastomeric materials.

A perforated tab 28, which is composed of the same unicellular insulating material but is provided with a plurality of small transverse perforations 30, is arranged to removably cover the mouth opening 18 as well as the lower portion of the nose area and the upper portion of the pad 24 on the chin area. The perforated tab 28 may be permanently secured at one end thereof to a reinforcing strip (not shown) which is attached to the facial portion 16 on the left side of the mouth opening 18, as viewed in Fig. 2. The tab 28 passes through a loop 34 mounted adjacent to said reinforcing strip. The other end of the tab 28 removably passes through and is secured by another loop 36 which is mounted on the facial portion 16 at the opposite side of the mouth opening 18. Extra strength may be imparted to the reinforcing strip and the two loops 34 and 36 by employing a plastic coated fabric in their construction.

It is evident that the perforations 30in the tab 28 permit breathing and conversation to be carried on through the mask, while at the same time providing ade quate cold weather protection for the face of the person wearing it. Greater access to the mouth for other purposes, such as eating and drinking, may be obtained merely by pulling the free end of the tab 28 out of the loop 36, and allowing the tab 28 to dangle from the loop 34 on the left side of the mask, as viewed in Fig. 6, thereby completely exposing the mouth opening 18. Or instead of allowing the tab 28 to dangle in this fashion, it may be held away from the mouth by doubling it upon itself and passing its free end back through the loop 34.

Protection for the eyes may be obtained by securing to the upper end of the facial portion 16 an eye portion 38 composed of the same insulating material. The eye portion 38 is provided with a pair of eye openings 40-40', registering with the wearers eyes. Netting 42 is mounted in these eye openings. Transparent lenses made of glass or plastic may be substituted for the netting 42, if desired. Under some circumstances the mask may be modified by leaving the eye openings 40-40 empty, or by entirely eliminating the eye portion 38. Circular pieces 4444 of insulating material are secured to the eye portion 38 around the openings 40-40 to build up the thickness of the insulation in these areas and to space the netting 42 further away from the wearers eyes, as is best shown in Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 shows an embodiment of the invention in which the portion protecting the eyes is omitted. In this embodiment, a facial portion 50 of the mask is formed from a sheet of the previously described expanded insulating material, either with or without the thin skins of unexpanded elastomeric material; The facial portion 50 of the mask is shaped to fit over the bridge of the wearers nose, under the lower eyelids, upwards covering the temples and the sinuses, and backwards as far as the ears. A mouth opening 52 in the facial portion 50 registers with the mouth of the wearer, A tab 54 of the insulating material provided with a plurality of small transverse perforations 56 is secured at one end thereof to the facial portion 50 at one side of the mouth opening 52. The tab 54 is arranged to form a removable cover for the mouth opening 52 by inserting its other end through a loop 58 of coated fabric secured to the facial portion 50 at the opposite side of the mouth opening 52. The tab 54 may be allowed to dangle from the facial portion 50 when the mouth opening 52 is uncovered, as shown in Fig. 6.

Masks embodying the invention may be secured to the wearers head by means of a flexible suspension having encircling straps of elastic webbing which must be capable of remaining elastic at low temperatures. In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, a pair of elastic straps 6060' are secured at one end thereof to the opposite upper edges of the facial portion 16 in the vicinity of the temples, and they extend around the head to the back thereof, where they may be detachably connected by a snap fastener 62. From the top 4 center of the facial potrion 16 an elastic strap 63 extends to the back of the head and is joined to one of the straps 6060' near the snap fastener 62. A similar pair of elastic straps 6464' extend from the sides of the facial portion 16 around to the back of the head below the ears, where they are detachably connectable by means of a snap fastener 66. The straps 64-64 are secured to the facial portion 16 by sewing them onto a pair of coated fabric tabs 6868' which are cemented to the facial portion 16 in the cheek areas.

The embodiment of the invention illustrated in Fig. 6 is likewise provided with a flexible suspension arranged to encircle the wearers head to hold the mask snugly against his face. This suspension includes a pair of elastic straps 7070' and a snap fastener 72 which connects the ends of the straps at the back of the wearers head. The straps 7070 are attached to the sides of the facial portion 50 by a pair of coated fabric tabs, of which a tab 74 is shown.

The abovedescribed flexible suspensions are quickly releasable, and the masks are readily removable from the face without the necessity of first removing any other environmental clothing,.such as headgear. It is evident that instead of employing this type of suspension, other means may be used to secure the mask against the wearers face. For example, the mask may be attached to a helmet or a parka likewise designed to provide protection against cold weather.

A primary feature of masks embodying the invention is their outstanding insulating ability. The sheets of insulating material from which the masks are constructed are preferably but not necessarily uniform in thickness, and good insulating ability is obtained when they are only about 43 inch in thickness. A 4 inch thickness of the specified composite expanded unicellular insulating material has proved adequate to protect the face at temperatures as low as 40 F., and a Vs inch thickness has been tested satisfactorily at about 60 F. The non-wettability of this material and the fact that it is moisture impervious, contributes greatly to its freedom from the formation of frost on its inside surfaces. Due to the thin unexpanded skins in the preferred embodiment, the material contains no pores in which moisture may condense. Moisture cannot penetrate through the thin skins 11 and 12 (Fig. 5) of unexpanded elastometric material and thereby reach the multitudinous minute cells contained in the expanded unicellular elastomeric material 10. These smooth thin skins allow the mask to fit closer against the wearers skin, and they are conducive to reabsorption of moisture through his skin. However, masks constructed of smooth surfaced expanded unicellular material in which the thin unexpanded skins are absent likewise possess outstanding insulating ability against extremely cold weather.

Although the drawing shows only two embodiments of the invention, it is evident that numerous changes and modifications may be readily devised by persons skilled in the art without departing from the'spirit and the scope of the invention. For example, either the bib or the eye portion, or both of these members, may be eliminated entirely under some circumstances, and means other than the flexible strap suspension may be employed to secure the mask against the wearers face. Consequently, the scope of the invention as defined in the subjoined claims should be given the broadest possible interpretation.

We claim:

1. A cold weather face mask comprising a flexible sheet composed of a unicellular, elastomeric insulating material containing a multiplicity of minute, non-interconnecting cells distributed throughout its interior and having a smooth, thin skin of unexpanded elastomeric material covering that surface of said sheet which is next to the face of the wearer to minimize frosting-said sheet being designed to conform closely against a wearers face and having suflicient thickness to insulated against low temperatures.

2. A cold weather face mask comprising a flexible sheet composed of an expanded, unicellular, elastomeric insulating material containing a multiplicity of minute, non-interconnecting cells distributed throughout its interior and havng a smooth, thn skin of unexpanded elastomeric material covering its surfaces to minimize frosting, said sheet being designed to conform closely against a wearers face and having suflicient thickness to' insulated against low temperatures.

3. A cold weather face mask comprising a flexible sheet composed of a unicellular, elastomeric insulating material containing a multiplicity of minute, non-interconnecting cells distributed throughout its interior and having sufficient thickness to insulate against low temperatures, said sheet being designed to cover and conform closely to a human face and having an opening registering with the mouth of said face, and a tab of said insulating material provided with a plurality of small transverse perforations therein secured to the sheet and covering the mouth open- 4. A cold weather face mask comprising a composite, flexible sheet composed of an expanded, unicellular, elastomeric insulating material containing a multiplicity of minute, non-interconnecting cells distributed throughout its interior and having a smooth, thin skin of unexpanded elastomeric material covering its exterior, said sheet having a shape designed to cover and conform closely to a human face and having an opening registering with the mouth of said face, the thickness of the sheet being sufficient to insulate against low temperatures, and a tab of said insulating material provided with a plurality of small transverse perforations therein secured to the sheet and covering the mouth opening.

5. A cold weather face mask comprising a composite, flexible sheet composed of an expanded, unicellular, elastomeric insulating material containing a multiplicity of minute, non-interconnecting cells distributed throughout its interior and having a continuous, smooth, thin skin of unexpanded elastomeric material covering both of its sides, said sheet having a shape designed to cover and conform closely to a human face and having an opening registering with the mouth thereof, said sheet having a bib portion designed to cover the front neck area, the thickness of the sheet being sufficient to insulate against low temperatures, and a tab of said insulating material provided with a plurality of small transverse perforations therein secured to the sheet and covering the mouth opening.

6. A cold weather face mask comprising a flexible sheet composed of an expanded, unicellular, elastomeric insulating material containing a multiplicity of minute, noninterconnecting cells distributed throughout its interior, said sheet having a shape designed to cover and conform closely to a human face and having openings registering with the mouth and the eyes thereof, a bib made of said insulating material secured to the lower end of the sheet and designed to cover the front neck area, the thickness of the insulating material being sufiicient to insulate against low temperatures, a tab of said insulating material provided with a plurality of small transverse perforations, and means for removably securing the tab to the sheet and removably covering the mouth opening.

'7. A cold weather face mask comprising a composite, flexible sheet composed of an expanded, unicellular, elastomeric insulating material containing a multiplicity of minute, non-interconnecting cells distributed throughout its interior and having a continuous, smooth, thin skin of unexpanded elastomeric material covering both its sides, said sheet having a shape designed to cover and conform closely to a human face and having openings registering with the mouth and the eyes thereof, a bib made of said insulating material secured to the lower end of the sheet and designed to cover the front neck area, the thickness of the insulating material being sufficient to insulate against low temperatures, a tab of said insulating material provided with a plurality of small transverse perforations, and means for removably securing the tab to the sheet and removably covering the mouth opening.

8. A cold weather face mask comprising a flexible, nonwettable, moisture impervious sheet of insulating material composed of an expanded, unicellular, elastomerie material containing a multiplicity of minute, non-interconnecting cells distributed substantially uniformly throughout its interior and having a continuous, smooth, thin skin of unexpanded elastomeric material covering both of its sides, said sheet having a facial portion shaped to cover and conform closely to a human face and having openings registering with the mouth and the eyes thereof, a bib portion secured to the lower end of the facial portion and shaped to cover the front neck area, the thickness of the insulating material being suflicient to insulate against low temperatures, a tab of said insulating material secured to the facial portion and covering the mouth opening therein, said tab having a plurality of small transverse perforations to permit breathing through the mask, and means for securing the mask snugly against the face.

9. A cold Weather face mask comprising a flexible, non- Wettable, moisture impervious sheet of insulating material composed of an expanded, unicellular, elastomeric material containing a multiplicity of minute, non-interconnecting cells distributed substantially uniformly throughout its interior and having a continuous, smooth, thin skin of unexpanded elastomeric material covering both of its sides, said sheet having a facial portion shaped to cover and conform closely to a human face and having an opening registering with the mouth thereof, a bib portion joined to the lower end of the facial portion and shaped to cover the front neck area, the thickness of said sheet being sufficient to insulate against low temperatures, a tab of said insulating material having one end secured to the facial portion at one side of the mouth opening therein, means for detachably securing the other end of the tab to the facial portion at the opposite side of the mouth opening to provide a removable cover for said opening, said tab having a plurality of small transverse perforations to permit breathing through the mask, and a flexible suspension arranged to encircle the wearers head to hold the mask snugly against his face.

10. A cold weather face mask comprising a flexible, non-wettable, moisture empervious sheet of insulating material composed of an expanded, unicellular, elastomeric material containing a multiplicity of minute, non-interconnecting cells distributed substantially uniformly throughout its interior, said sheet having a facial portion shaped to cover and conform closely to a human face and having an opening registering with the mouth thereof, a bib portion joined to the lower end of the facial portion and shaped to cover the front neck area, an eye portion joined to the upper end of the facial portion and having a pair of openings registering with the eyes, the thickness of said sheet being sufficient to insulate against low temperatures, a tab of said insulating material having one end secured to the facial portion at one side of the mouth opening therein, means for detachably securing the other end of the tab to the facial portion at the opposite side of the mouth opening to provide a removable cover for said opening, said tab having a plurality of small transverse perforations to permit breathing through the mask, and a flexible suspension arranged to encircle the wearers head to hold the mask snugly against his face.

11. A cold weather face mask comprising a flexible, non-wettable, moisture impervious sheet of insulating material composed of an expanded, unicellular, elastomeric material containing a multiplicity of minute, non-interconnecting cells distributed substantially uniformly throughout its interior and having a continuous, smooth,

H 7 thin skin of unexpanded elastomeric material covering both of its sides, said sheet haw'ng a facial portion shaped to cover and conform closely to a human face and having an opening registering with the mouth thereof, a bib portion joined to the lower end of the facial portion and shaped to cover the front neck area, an eye portion joined to the upper end of the facial portion and having a pair of openings registering with the eyes, the thickness of said sheet being sufiicient to insulate against low temperatures, a tab of said insulating material having one end secured to the facial portion at one side of the mouth opening therein, means for detachably securing the other end of the tab to the facial portion at the opposite side of 8 the mouth opening to provide a'removable cover for said opening, said tab having a plurality of small transverse perforations to permit breathing through the mask, and a flexible suspension arranged to encircle'the 'wearers head to hold the mask snugly against his face.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,173,781 Gibello Sept. 19, 1939 2,314,889 Manson Mar. 30, 1943 2,743,454 Woodbury May 1, 1956 U. S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 2,818,857 January '7, 1958 Hubert Wilkins et a1.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction and that the said Let uers Patent should read as corrected below.

Column 5, line 3, for "insulated" read insulate line 9, for "thn" read thin lines 12 and 13, for "insulated" read insulate column 6, line 49', for "empervious" read impervious Signed and sealed this 25th day of February 1958.

(SEAL) Attest: KARL H. AXLINE ROBERT C. WATSON Attesting Officer Cbnmissicner of Patents 

